Liverpool signing Rickie Lambert may be a surprise, but it seems like sound business from a club that has had mixed success with British signings in recent years.

talkSPORT understands the Reds have agreed to pay Southampton a fee of between £4.5m to £5m, depending on add-ons, which isn’t a great deal of money for a club that just pocketed £97m prize money from the Premier League.

In exchange, Brendan Rodgers has acquired a player who has scored 28 Premier League goals in the past two seasons. If Lambert chips in with similar figures at Anfield, it will be money very well spent.

Last season Lambert netted 13 Premier League goals, proving he was no top flight one season wonder.

To put that in to perspective, Manchester City’s £20m signing Alvaro Negredo scored nine times in 32 league games.

For a relatively paltry fee, the Reds are getting a player they know is capable of scoring Premier League goals.

At 32, Lambert may only have a couple of seasons at Anfield, but if he can help the Reds stay in the top four he will be an absolute bargain. Not every player in a squad needs a decade of football ahead of them.

Meanwhile, Liverpool need capable back up for Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge, which Lambert should provide at a price the club can comfortably afford, leaving Brendan Rodgers more funds to strengthen elsewhere.

Perhaps because he is English and was playing for Bristol Rovers just a few years ago, Lambert may not be the kind of ‘sexy’ signing some fans crave, but it’s what he contributes on the pitch that matters.

An intelligent player with a genuine passion for Liverpool FC, he stands a good chance of thriving under the exciting attacking play instigated by Brendan Rodgers.

And if it doesn’t work out? Well, at least he was £30m cheaper than Andy Carroll.

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